Canadian HR Reporter

CANADIAN HR REPORTER March 20, 2017 FEATURES 15 WANT TO MAKE WAVES? TO MAKE TO MAKE TO MAKE WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? WAVES? H R PA C A N H E L P A CHRP creates an ocean of opportunity. You can earn a CHRP, Canada's best-known and only national HR designation, exclusively from HRPA. A CHRP creates an ocean of opportunity. If you're an HR professional outside of Ontario, join HRPA by May 31, 2017 and keep your CHRP designation. Make Waves. www.hrpa.ca/chrp RECRUITMENT Active recruiting all about relationships By Dianne Hunnam-Jones A ctive recruiting is some- times thought of as a last resort in hiring — a plan B in case an employer doesn't find the calibre of applicants it's seek- ing after posting a job listing. However, if an employer doesn't have an active staffing strategy in place, it could be missing out on professionals who aren't neces- sarily looking for another chal- lenge but could be persuaded to join a new company. e facts When more than 400 office work- ers in Canada were asked what they would do if a recruiter ap- proached them with a potential new job opportunity, 64 per cent said they would likely entertain the opportunity while only 36 per cent said they probably wouldn't consider it, according to an Octo- ber 2016 survey by Robert Half. is is good news for HR pro- fessionals. It means there's an untapped pool of talent open to making a move, for the right offer. e problem? Most candidates are unlikely to know about the vacancies as they're not browsing job boards or talking with recruit- ers. e takeaway? is could be a good time for employers to con- sider active recruiting. It's also a great way to get out in front of the competition when it comes to attracting skilled talent. Many companies don't take ad- vantage of opportunities to active- ly recruit, according to the same survey of more than 270 Canadian CFOs. In fact, 50 per cent of the CFOs said they are more likely to wait for replies to job descriptions than to get out there and court po- tential candidates. Tips for active recruiting Traditional recruiting channels may be fine in industries with a high unemployment rate but if an employer is having trouble hiring, here are some ways to put active hiring into practice: Be present at industry events: Trade shows, conferences, pro- fessional organization gatherings — some companies don't regard these events as recruiting oppor- tunities because most attendees already have a job. As the survey suggests, however, a majority of workers would consider a job of- fer if the right one came along. So it's about going to industry and networking events with hiring in mind. Stay in touch with ex-employ- ees: ere are many advantages to so-called "boomerang" or former employees. ey know the people and the workplace culture, there- by minimizing the chances of a bad hire. ey also require less training than brand new staff. Boomerang hires are somewhat uncommon, though — while 87 per cent of HR managers said they have no problems hiring a former employee, only 30 per cent of the workers would likely come back, according to a 2015 Accountemps survey of more than 300 HR man- agers and more than 400 workers in Canada. A common reason for this sentiment is they feel bridges have been burned. By staying in contact with former staff mem- bers, an employer can make them still feel welcome — and stands a better chance of having them to return for open positions. Make use of referral bonuses: A referral program — giving bo- nuses to employees who recom- mend a candidate who is even- tually hired — can help increase the number of quality applica- tions who apply. But do all staff members know your company has such an active staffing strat- egy? For an employee referral program to work, it needs to be publicized regularly. Mention the cash amount, and then remind employees to reach out to pas- sive candidates as well as active job-seekers. Right message, right channel: Don't waste opportunities. When you have a short-list of people to consider for a job vacancy, don't spam them with a generic email. Instead, contact them individu- ally. A phone call is an effective way to connect immediately, but personalized emails and LinkedIn messages are also good. A publicly visible method, such as Twitter, should be used sparingly, espe- cially if the person is currently employed. Whichever way you reach out, explain why you feel they'd be a good fit and the reasons they may enjoy a new challenge. Active recruiting is about strong rapport and relationship- building. Find people, keep a line of communication open with them, and reach out when there is a position they might find appeal- ing. It's a proactive way to create a pipeline of solid candidates. Dianne Hunnam-Jones is the Cana- dian president of Accountemps in Toronto, a Robert Half company. For more information, visit www.twitter. com/RobertHalf_CAN or www.rober- thalf.ca/en/blog. For a referral program to work, it needs to be publicized.

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